Improvement in braces for carriage-springs



D. W. NORRIS.

Carriage Spring. No. 113,916. Patented April 18, 1871-.

Zhbzeww 7 w mfia M W Mi 3R 7 g DANIEL W. NORRIS, or PAXTON, ASSIGNOR T0MICHAEL WORTH, ILLINOIS.

I Letters Patent No. 113,915, dated April 18, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRACES FOR CARRIAGE-SPRINGS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL W. Nonms, of Paxton, Ford county, State ofIllinois, have invented a new Brace for Carriage-Springs; and I dohereby dcclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing formingpart of this specification, in which Figure l is a side elevation Figure2, a vertical section in line a; a; of fig. 1;

Figure 3, a plan of the under side of the plate and connected apparatusand Figure 4, a plan of the upper side of the same, detached from thecarriage-body.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawing denotecorresponding parts.

Many devices have been invented for the purpose of preventing thebackward and forward movement of a carriage-body from breaking orbending the elliptic springs upon which it is supported, and fromwrenching ofi" or bending the bolts which connect the springs to thecarriage-body or to the axle.

The most effective device heretofore employed for the purpose consistsof a pair of rods or bars, one extending from each axle to a point underthe center of the carriage-body, where they are articulated to theopposite arms of a horizontal lever working on a central vertical.fulcrum or bolt.

For a good example of this method of construction reference be had tothe patents of O. O. Gleason, dated September 26, 1865, No. 50,114, andothers of a similar character.

The method of attaching the bars to the arms of the lever or anyequivalent construction is, however, objectionable for two reasons, viz:

First, the bars, instead of moving directly backward and forward, swingat one end in a circle, whereby the joint at their other end is strainedand wrenched, so as frequently to become useless in a short time; and

Secondly, the levers have dead-points in their rotary movements, addjust in proportion as the bars are brought toward a line with thedead-points they become to that extent not merely worthless butiuiurious.

My invention is designed to obviate these difliculties. To this end,

It consists in the employment of a pinion and two rack-bars with asupporting and giiidingplate, in connection with two rods or barsarticulatedto the lower leaves of the springs, or, in a single-reachcarriage, to the rcaoh-bracaif preferred, substantially as herein afterdescribed.

In the drawing- A A are the axles;

B. the reach;

0 O, the springs.

or a, the supporting-plates under the springs;

D D, the reach-braces;

F F, the straps that connect the springs and reachbraces to the axles;and a E E, the rods that extend toward the center of the carriagebottom, connecting them with the guide-plate and racks, said rods, in .asingle-reach carriage, being articulated to the reach-brace by means ofa slot, 0, and pin 0, as shown in fig. 2, and, in a double-reachcarriage, to the spring itself or the plate a a beneath it.

G is the guide-plate, fastened to the under side of the carriage bottomH, and supporting two sliding racks, I J, and a pinion, K, between them,gearing with both, as clearly shown in fig. 4.

The plate G is made with two parallel longitudinal grooves, g g, on itsupper side, in which the racks move, a slot, 0 6, being out through theplate along the bottom of each groove; and between the slots atdownward-projecting flange, m, is cast or formed upon the plate, for thepurposes hereinafter described.

The rack-bars I J are each formed with a downwardprojectiug lug, '17,having a hole through which to insert the bent ends of the rods or barsE E, as shown in figs. 1, 2, 3.

The lugs are made with an enlarged head anda square shoulder, c, whichrests against the under surface of the plate G, along the edge of theslot.

The slots are slightly enlarged at one end, as shown at c, to admit thehead of the lug, which, when thus introduced'into its place, slid alongtoward the center of the plate, and, fastened to its appropriate rod orbar E or E, cannot aft-er be withdrawn from the slot until both rods E Ebe disconnected from their racks.

In practical operation the rods or bars E E are refer-ably attached tothe lugs '12 t by bending their ends and inserting them into the lugsbefore the latter are slid forward and away from the enlarged end of theslot. After being thus attached the lug is moved toward the middle ofthe plate, as above described, bringing the end of the rod between thelug and the flange m, which keeps the parts from becoming disconnected.Thus, no screw-nut or other fastening is necessary, and the apparatus isat the same time rendered more simple, cheaper, and less liable to getout of order, than if. other means were employed for effectiog thepermanent connection of the rods to the sliding plates.

The great advantages resulting from my improved construction consist, asabove stated, in dispensing with the swinging movement at the upper endofthe rods or braces E E, and also with the dead-points in the movementof the lever, so that the apparatus will work with perfect certainty andunithrmity whether- N BILL, OF CHATS- the springs be much or littlebent.

Besides this, the reach-braces, which it has been necessary heretoforeto construct of \vrought-iron on account of the strain upon them, can bemade of cast-iron, which will answer every purpose when the carriage isprevented from bending the springs forward or backward.

Having thus described my invent-ion,

What I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the brace-rods E E with the sliding racks I J andthe pinion K, substantially as v and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the brace-rods E E, sliding racks I J having lugs0; t, and .pinion .K, with a supporting-plate, G, having a flange, m,substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The plate Gr having two parallel guide-grooves.

' on its upper surface, a slot, 0 6', cut through'the metalalong eachgroove, and a flange, m, on the under side midway'between and parallelwith said slots, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination of the plate G having the grooves g g, flange m, andslots'e e enlarged at one end, as described, with the racks I J, eachhaving :1. lug, "i, which projects through the slot and is provided witha square shoulder, '11, that bears on the opposite side of the plate G,along the edge of the slot, substantially. as and for the purposesherein set forth.

5. The slotted reach-braces I) D when articulated with the brace-rods EE, substantially-as described,

and for the purpose specified;

6. The combination of two brace-bars with a connect-ing device attachedto the under side of the carriage-body, so constructed and operatingthat, as the brace-bars work back and forth, their upper extremities arecaused to move in straight parallel lines, substantially as'described,and for the purposes specified.

' DANIEL W. NORRIS.

Witnesses:

A. O. RAWLINGS, N. K. ELLswoRTH.

